# CVE-2023-45852: Vitogate 300 Firmware - RCE

> Live exploitation tracking for CVE-2023-45852 by the CrowdSec Live Exploit Tracker, built from real-world attack data crowdsourced from CrowdSec's global network.

Page: https://tracker.crowdsec.net/cves/CVE-2023-45852

## Key facts

- **Exploitation phase:** Limited Exploitation. The vulnerability is known but shows very limited attacker interest or exploitation activity.
- **CVSS score:** 9.8
- **Public exploit available:** Yes
- **Affected products:** Viessmann Vitogate 300 Firmware
- **Weaknesses:** CWE-77 (Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in a Command ('Command Injection'))
- **Tags:** iot

## Description

In Vitogate 300 2.1.3.0, /cgi-bin/vitogate.cgi allows an unauthenticated attacker to bypass authentication and execute arbitrary commands via shell metacharacters in the ipaddr params JSON data for the put method.

## CrowdSec analysis

[CVE-2023-45852](https://euvd.enisa.europa.eu/vulnerability/CVE-2023-45852) is a critical vulnerability in Vitogate 300 version 2.1.3.0 that allows unauthenticated attackers to bypass authentication and execute arbitrary commands by injecting shell metacharacters into the ipaddr parameter of the /cgi-bin/vitogate.cgi endpoint. This flaw could be exploited remotely to gain full control over the affected device, leading to potential data breaches, system compromise, or disruption of services.

CrowdSec has been tracking this vulnerability and its exploits since 10th of September 2025.

CrowdSec network observations suggest that most exploitation of CVE-2023-45852 involves focused reconnaissance to identify viable targets. Attackers typically tailor their campaigns based on system exposure and configuration. It is unlikely that a given attack is accidental.
CrowdSec network telemetry also shows that exploitation of CVE-2023-45852 has significantly declined over the past week. Attack volumes are well below the long-term average, suggesting attackers are rapidly losing interest. The vulnerability appears to be falling out of active use across most threat landscapes.

Attackers exploit the `/cgi-bin/vitogate.cgi` endpoint by sending crafted JSON data to the ipaddr parameter, injecting shell metacharacters to execute arbitrary commands on vulnerable Viessmann Vitogate 300 devices.

## Timeline

- 2023-10-14: CVE Published. CVE-2023-45852 is published to NVD.
- 2025-09-10: Rule Released. CrowdSec releases a rule to detect CVE-2023-45852 exploitation attempts against the CrowdSec Network.
- 2025-09-11: CrowdSec First Seen. CrowdSec observes in-the-wild exploitation of CVE-2023-45852 for the first time.

## References

- https://github.com/Push3AX/vul/blob/main/viessmann/Vitogate300_RCE.md
- https://github.com/projectdiscovery/nuclei-templates/blob/main/http/cves/2023/CVE-2023-45852.yaml

## Live exploitation data

The [Live Exploit Tracker page](https://tracker.crowdsec.net/cves/CVE-2023-45852) follows observed exploitation activity for CVE-2023-45852. [Request an API key](https://tracker.crowdsec.net/request-api-key) for full access to its exploitation timeline, attacking IP addresses and blocklists.